How To Make Beef Stock

How To Make Beef Stock

This is the stock I use in my beef stew and for making soups like mushroom- barley and minestrone. It takes almost no work, just cooking time. Marrow bones are best for soup and adjust all the quantities according to the size of your soup pot. Mine is huge – 8 quarts (7.5 L). - Jenny Jones

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes

Makes: About 5 quarts

How To Make Beef Stock

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 - 3 pounds beef marrow bones
  • 2 carrots cut in big pieces
  • 2 stalks of celery cut in big pieces
  • 1 parsnip cut in big pieces
  • 1 small onion, quartered
  • 2 cloves of garlic, whole
  • 3-4 sprigs of parsley
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 5 peppercorns
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or 2 teaspoons kosher salt)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • 5 1/2 quarts of water (22 cups)

Instructions:

  1. Place all ingredients into your largest soup pot.
  2. Fill with as much water as it will hold.
  3. Bring to a boil.
  4. Once it starts to boil, skim off any brown foam.
  5. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 3 hours (or up to 6 hours).
  6. Remove bones & large pieces of vegetables with a slotted spoon and discard.
  7. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into 2 or 3 bowls. Use right away or refrigerate overnight.
  8. Once chilled, skim off any fat (I scoop it with a fine mesh strainer) and use within 3 days or freeze. I freeze it in ice cube trays, then into freezer bags.

Notes: For more on this recipe in my blog click here.

26 Comments on "How To Make Beef Stock"

  1. AG

    Trying to cook more. I like what you make because it’s usually easy. ( Not so hard on someone in my condition. I made your cabbage rolls, chocolate cake. In the morning I want to make your beef stock for the first time. Then your beef stew the day after. Thanks for helping.
    Do you have a cream of mushroom soup? It’s so hard to find a “healthy” one in the stores these days, that I would trust. Or maybe a onion soup? Many recipes I have tried on line were not what they said they were. Yours have been. That’s why I’m asking you. Thanks heaps.

    • Jenny Can Cook

      All of the recipes I make are already posted here and sorry, I do not have the soups you mentioned.

  2. Pie

    I love everything. Your sweet potato chocolate cake was huge hit. Instead of butter, I used a half of an avocado for the icing. Turned out great. The only thing that I didn’t like were your whole wheat waffles. I guess that I was expecting was sweetness. Dah!!!! Look@the recipe. No sugar. You’re a phenomenal cook. I am sorry that they made you into a scapegoat when your show ended. You’re much better @helping people eat healthier. My friends loved your everything. Are you going to make Polish Christmas cookies like the previous commenter suggested????? That would be awesome. You’re an awesome everything. Thank you.

  3. Eileen

    Oh Jenny…I have made so many of your recipes. Every one EXCELLENT!
    Made the beef stock this morning. So much better than boxed and tomorrow your beef stew will be on the menu with your delicious crusty rolls.

    I take care of an elderly Polish man with Polish heritage. He has loved everything from cabbage rolls, potato pancakes, hash browns, and cookies and cakes. I am hoping you have a recipe for a tradition Polish Christmas cookie called Kiefle. His mother made them and I would like to replicate them.
    And as we are inching to the magical time of year…any Christmas cookie recipes from your kitchen would be so appreciated by all your devoted followers.
    Love, love, your videos. You are a very talented lady and thank you for sharing your love of cooking with us.

  4. silvia

    Parsnips make a big difference!! I also use a big TBS of Juniper Berries for all stocks!! same amount of Peppercorns! ( 5 different ones as Penzeys sells them)

  5. Francoise

    Hi jenny first of all you are so funny i love watching your vidio you get to laugh and cook good healthy meal at the same time my question is do you have a recipe for old fashion tourtiere thank you i really enjoy cooking ever since i beein watching your you tube channel thanks jenny ☺

  6. SHIRLEY

    I LOVE YOUR RECIPES> YOU ARE A VERY GOOOOOOD COOK. MY QUESTION IS I LOVE BEEF AND NOODLES NOT SOIP JUST BEEF AND NOODLES BUT I CAN’T SEEM TO MAKE FLAVORFUL..TASTY. THEY SEEM TO JUST BE BLAND I KEEP LOOKING THROUGH YOUR RECIPES FOR A BEEF AND NOODLE RECIPE BUT YOU DON’T HAVE ONE COULD YOU MAKE A TASTY RECIPE FOR ME?????? HOPING THANK YOU

  7. Pat Hinegardner

    Hi Jenny.
    I know you seto be on tv. Have you ever thought about doing your cooking show on tv

  8. Dee

    Can I use the crock pot to make this

  9. SAM

    I’M A CHEF PLEASE TAKE MY ADVICE BUY A CAN OF STOCK IT’S JUST AS GOOD AND NO HASSEL.

    • Pete

      You are completely wrong. Store bought stock is flavorless and loaded with sodium.

    • Rick Garner

      Sam, you are not a chef or you wouldn’t even think about making that claim. Homemade stock and broth is superior in every way to canned. I cooked for many years in a variety of different restaurants. few of them make it the right way because it takes a lot of time. Your belief that canned is just as good speaks to a lot of the issues in restaurants today.

  10. Jennifer

    Hello!
    Do you not have to roast the bone first? I’ve been making chicken stock in the crock pot lately and love it. But I thought with beef you have to high roast them first? I have read that you do. Thanks!

    • Jenny

      I’m never too old to learn. I’ve been making beef stock this way for years but it makes sense you would get a lot more flavor by roasting the bones first. I will try it next time and then adjust my recipe accordingly. Thank you for bringing it up.

      • Jen

        Thanks for the reply 🙂 I called my grocery store today to see if they had marrow bones and they did-so I’m going to pick some up! For my chicken broth I use saved already roasted chicken bones.

        • Jim

          I grew up in Ky where the folks mostly always made homemade broths, due to many raising their own chickens & beef for eating. The old folks in the entire county always had a saying about adding 3 capfuls of vinegar into the large pot before making Beef Stock…. Said it was to help draw the Marrow out of the bones! Everyone did it that way!

    • Jenny

      So I did my experiment and roasted the marrow bones before making the stock. Then I tasted both broths side by side, the one made with un-roasted bones and the other with roasted bones. To me there was no difference at all. So I will continue using raw bones but I appreciate your note and the opportunity to try something new.

  11. Sheila

    Is there anything I can use to replace the parsnip in the stock?

    Thanks

    • Jenny

      You can just leave it out or add a little more carrot.

    • Linda

      I read you can use turnip or celery root as a substitute for parsnip

  12. elzbieta with Poland/Lodz/

    I will make you beef stock Thanks Jenny

  13. Christina

    It seems pretty easy and I’m going to try it. I’ve made your granola and crusty rolls and they were great. Thanks Jenny.

  14. Sue

    Why isn’t there any onion in the stock?

    • Jenny

      Oops, thank you for asking. I omitted the onion and will fix it right now. (it’s in the picture)

      • Donna

        Do you mean two whole bulbs of garlic. Or just 2 cloves?

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